Farm volunteers see benefits of working for free
PAICINES, Calif. - The morning sun lights up the blue and magenta blooms of wildflowers as Erik Ramfjord and Andrew Riddle scoop soured milk into a trough, drawing delighted squeals from a dozen free-range pigs.

USDA to cut subsidies as insurers post large profits
MINNEAPOLIS - The federal government wants to save taxpayers billions of dollars by reducing spending on crop insurance after years of big profits by insurers, but the industry claims the reductions could hurt rural areas.

What can be done to revitalize rural West Texas?
Civic and business leaders in rural West Texas have long said the best way to revitalize sparsely populated counties is to create good paying jobs so people can stay and the area can even draw outsiders looking for work.

Polgar: The Champ takes the first lead in World Championship match
After facing a shocking loss in the first game of the 2010 World Championship match against challenger Veselin Topalov (of Bulgaria), the defending World Champion Viswanathan Anand (of India) came right back to even up the score with a convincing win in game 2. Game 3 was a hard fought draw. Anand took the first lead in the match with the spectacular win in game 4. Below is my live analysis as the game progress.

Wolfforth neighbors help police
catch the bad guys after burglary
United communities hold power. And the Wolfforth community leveraged its power in a recent burglary by helping police track and apprehend the suspects. In fact, the citizens grabbed one suspect and held him to the ground. Wolfforth Police received a call shortly after 9 a.m. on March 31 about suspicious people in the neighborhood. Witnesses were able to describe the three men and their vehicle, reported the A-J's Karen Michael. A teen in the area, Austin Murdock, 17, saw a neighbor's back door had been kicked in. Police arrived and were investigating the scene when the suspicious vehicle was spotted, but the driver took off, said Wolfforth Police Chief Rick Scott. Wolfforth EMS workers happened to be in the area and helped to block the vehicle, said Chief Scott. While it is critical to be careful and not be in harm's way, it's also very refreshing to see homeowners watching out for each other and not letting the bad guys win.

Citizens committee findings
are crucial for LISD's success
A citizens group appointed to study Lubbock Independent School District's long-term needs still isn't close to recommending a bond package to the school district after two months of analyzing its facilities. The committee's 26 members have been busy prioritizing the most pressing needs as part of the study. They've already discovered there's no shortage of areas needing attention.

Quick Opinion
Children are our future, our greatest treasure. Why then would anyone not comply with the new booster seat law? The grace period for compliance expires June 1. Children don't need to go from a car seat to a seat belt. This in-between step will save lives - possibly the life of your child or grandchild. What is there to debate?

From our story comments
"It appears unclear at this point if the increased transmission and maintenance costs will be offset with any fuel or other savings that may materialize with more wind energy. Cap and trade or other carbon legislation could alter the balance significantly. It will be interesting to see what happens."

Quick opinion
We're disappointed in an LPD officer who resigned after being accused of solicitation of a child by sexting a teenage girl. The very people we trust our children with shouldn't be the ones taking advantage of them. But our opinion of the entire force shouldn't be tainted by one incident.

Texas hiker just wants an experience
To strangers and even his family members, the notion to hike 3,000 miles along the Texas perimeter was absurd and dangerous, but for 32-year-old S. Matt Read, this is his own “personal adventure.”

George W. Bush book out Nov. 9
NEW YORK - The publisher of former President George W. Bush's book "Decision Points" on Sunday set a Nov. 9 release date, unveiled its cover design and announced new details about it.

1919 hurricane changed Corpus Christi forever
Until a powerful hurricane devastated Corpus Christi on Sept. 14, 1919, city leaders felt their city was set on higher ground than other Texas Gulf Coast communities and was thus protected from major storm damage.

Pastor's mission to help Mexico
LAMESA - It may not be the same as David defeating Goliath or Moses parting the Red Sea, but a South Plains pastor said after a recent mission trip to Mexico, he experienced his own share of God's miracles.

BP downplayed possibility of rig catastrophe
MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER - British Petroleum downplayed the possibility of a catastrophic accident at an offshore rig that exploded, causing the worst U.S. spill in decades along the Gulf coast and endangering shoreline habitat.

Gulf oil spill swiftly balloons, could move east
VENICE, La. - A sense of doom settled over the American coastline from Louisiana to Florida on Saturday as a massive oil slick spewing from a ruptured well kept growing, and experts warned that an uncontrolled gusher could create a nightmare scenario if the Gulf Stream carries it toward the Atlantic.

Immigration law protests on tap today
CHICAGO - Immigrant rights activists hope Arizona's controversial immigration law will spark enormous crowds of people to protest in rallies nationwide and add urgency to pleas for federal immigration reform.

Gulf spill may harm climate bill
WASHINGTON - A historic environmental protection bill is in danger after a massive oil spill put a new focus on the perils of offshore drilling, a feature that was supposed to win wider support for the legislation.

Lawyers flock to Gulf Coast to file oil spill lawsuits
MIAMI - Teams of lawyers from around the nation are mobilizing for a gargantuan legal battle over the massive Gulf Coast oil spill, filing multiple lawsuits in recent days that together could dwarf the half-billion dollars awarded in the Exxon Valdez disaster two decades ago.

Times Square cleared as suspected car bomb found
NEW YORK (AP) - Police found an apparent car bomb in a parked sport utility vehicle Saturday evening in New York City's Times Square, then evacuated buildings and cleared streets of thousands of tourists in "the Crossroads of the World."

Arizona Legislature makes changes to controversial law
PHOENIX - The Arizona Legislature has narrowed a controversial immigration law in response to allegations that the measure legalized racial profiling and forced police to determine the immigration status of everyone they encountered on the streets.

NY coffee cup creator Buck dies
NEW YORK - Countless New Yorkers and visitors have warmed their hands on it - a blue, white and gold cardboard cup with an ancient Grecian design, steaming with coffee or tea.

Actress Dorothy Provine dies at 75
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Actress Dorothy Provine, best known for her roles as Milton Berle's wife and Ethel Merman's daughter in "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" and the high-kicking flapper in the 1960s TV series "The Roaring 20s," has died. She was 75.

'English-only' ad generates buzz
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - An "English-only" ad by a candidate in the Alabama governor's race has drawn the state into the national debate over immigration stoked by a tough new Arizona law and generated an Internet crowd for the political scion running in a crowded Republican field.

Supreme Court needs some area diversity
WASHINGTON - Forget liberal vs. conservative justices. The Supreme Court is way out of regional alignment: It's heavily tilted toward the Northeast corridor and could become even more so as President Barack Obama prepares to fill an upcoming vacancy.

Death noticesTommie Jo Anderson, 81, of Lubbock and formerly of Kerrville died April 28, 2010. Services are pending with Wilson's Funeral Directors of Wolfforth.

Death noticesDelmon Bartlett, 70, of Lubbock died April 28, 2010. Services will be 1 p.m. today at Resthaven Memorial Park. Resthaven Funeral Home.

Linda Lawson Burnette
Linda Lawson Burnette, 53, passed into heaven on Sunday, April 11, 2010 in San Antonio, TX. Linda was born on March 7, 1957 and was raised in Lubbock, TX.

G.W. Brown
G.W. Brown went home to be with his Lord on Thursday, April 29, 2010 at the age of 86 in Lubbock, Texas. Funeral services will be held at the First Church of the Nazarene at 6110 Chicago on May 3, at 1:00 p.m. with Rev. Curtis Sellers and Greg White officiating.

Dolores M. Maxwell
Dolores M. Maxwell passed away on Tuesday, April 27, 2010 in Lubbock after a long illness. She is survived by her many nieces and nephews and was preceded in death by her devoted husband and companion, Dr. Henry (Max) Maxwell.

Jimmy Lee Gill
Services for Jimmy Lee Gill, 81, of Lubbock will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 4, 2010 at Faith Baptist Church with Brother Justin Osborne officiating. Interment will follow at Peaceful Gardens Memorial Park. Arrangements are under the direction of Sanders Funeral Home.

Fred Elbert McGee
Fred Elbert McGee, 78, longtime resident of Lubbock County, departed this life on Apr. 28, 2010. He was born on March 31, 1932 in Lubbock, Tx. to Elbert and Lois (Bowers) McGee.

Jerry Wayne Mullican
Jerry Wayne Mullican passed away at the age of 74 on Thursday, Apr. 29, 2010 surrounded by his loving family.

Juanita Jett
Juanita Jett, 76, of Lubbock departed this life on April 30, 2010. She was born in Grandfield, Okla. on Feb. 3, 1934 to Everett and Ellie (Eubanks) Richard. Juanita moved to Abernathy, Tx. from Arizona in 1989.

Bernarda Luna Reyes
Bernarda Luna Reyes died on April 28th, 2010 in El Paso, Tx. at the age of 86.
She was born in Ysleta, Tx. on August 20th, 1923 to Silvano Luna and Guadalupe Alaniz Luna. She was one of nine children.

Gwendolyn Sue Strickland Byrd Patterson
Gwendolyn Sue Strickland Byrd Patterson, 73, of Haskell passed away Wednesday, April 28, 2010. A funeral service will be held on Sunday, May 2, 2010 at 2 p.m. at the East Side Baptist Church. Burial will follow in Willow Cemetery under the direction of Holden McCauley Funeral Home. Visitation will be Saturday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home.

Adam Robles
Funeral services for Adam Robles, 31, of Lubbock will be Monday at 1:30 p.m. at Trinity Church. Visitation will be this evening from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in the WW Rix Chapel. Adam departed this life on Wednesday, April 28, 2010. Adam was loved by many and will be dearly missed.

Carmen Smith
Services for Carmen Smith, 87, of Crosbyton will be at 11:00 a.m. Monday, May 3, 2010 at the Crosbyton First Baptist Church with Rev. Ken Bevel and Sue Jan Glenn officiating. Burial will follow in the Crosbyton Cemetery under direction of Adams Funeral Home of Crosbyton.

Harold Bernard Teal
Services for Harold Bernard Teal, 76, of Salado will be 3 p.m. Monday, May 3, 2010 at the Presbyterian Church of Salado, Tx. Mr. Teal died Wednesday, April 28, 2010 at the North Bay Hospital, Aransas Pass, Tx.

Bruins take Game 1 from Flyers
BOSTON - In his first game back since a concussion seven weeks ago, Mark Savard scored on a delayed penalty with 6:08 left in the first overtime to give the Boston Bruins a 5-4 playoff victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.

Pens take Game 1 from Habs
PITTSBURGH (AP) - Defensemen Kris Letang and Alex Goligoski each had a goal and an assist and the Pittsburgh Penguins shredded Montreal's penalty-killing unit that Washington never solved in the opening round, beating the Canadiens 6-3 Friday night in the first game of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Dixon starts oval season with victory
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) - Waiting for the final green flag out of a caution, a few laps from the finish, Scott Dixon jokingly asked his crew if he could save some horsepower boosts for the Indianapolis 500 later this month.

Hawks force Bucks into Game 7
MILWAUKEE - Jamal Crawford broke out of a slump with 24 points, Joe Johnson added 22 points and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Milwaukee Bucks 83-69 on Friday night to force a seventh game in the first-round series.

Sicko picks Cowboys, academic plans
IRVING - Scott Sicko was undrafted and uncertain about the rookie free agency process. So the tight end from New Hampshire initially turned down offers from teams willing to give him a chance to pursue his NFL dream.

Trainers prepare for muddy track
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The favorite was pulled at the start of the week. Heavy thunderstorms in the forecast could turn the dirt strip at Churchill Downs into something resembling peanut butter.

Borel positions Super Saver for win
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The starting gate sprung open in the Kentucky Derby, with 19 horses scrambling for position. One jockey knew exactly where he was headed.

Chaparrals club team-record nine home runs in victory
BETHANY, Okla. - Lubbock Christian University broke a school single-game record with nine home runs, and Doug Kroll and J.J. Muse tied a school record with five-hit games as the sixth-ranked Chaparrals beat Southern Nazarene 27-16 Friday.

LCHS gives Roberts her first coaching job
Brittany Roberts has never been a coach, and she never planned to be. After all, her degree from Lubbock Christian University is in organizational communications as opposed to education, sports management or exercise and sport science.

At least 20,000 walk in Dallas immigration march
DALLAS - A crowd of at least 20,000, many carrying American flags, marched through downtown Dallas on Saturday in a mostly peaceful rally for immigration reform that was occasionally tinged with bitterness on both sides.

Hospital prom; one night, just kids
HOUSTON - On the eighth floor of Texas Children's Hospital, behind double doors leading to the renal dialysis unit, Jasmine Davis floated through the hallway in a frothy cocktail dress of black lace and teal satin. A rhinestone tiara glittered against her soft halo of dark curls.

Houston ISD opposes standards
HOUSTON (AP) - The largest school district in the state has joined the growing chorus of opposition to Texas' proposed social studies standards.

State Capitol dome getting face-lift
AUSTIN - The dome of the Texas Capitol is getting a new paint job and the House chamber will be closed to the public for several months while workers paint the ceiling.

Chinese kindergartners come under another attack
BEIJING - Armed police will patrol schools in China's capital after a farmer attacked kindergarten students with a hammer, then burned himself to death Friday in the third classroom assault in as many days.

Meltdown, volcano: Weary Icelanders ask, what next
HVOLSVOLLUR, Iceland - It took Sigurdur Thorhallsson more than a decade to turn a patch of flat land wedged between glacier and ocean into a field fit to grow fodder grass. It took Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano just minutes to wreck it.

Israeli artist Avigdor Arikha dies at age 81
PARIS - Israeli artist Avigdor Arikha, who learned the power of art as a boy during the Holocaust when he sketched scenes from a concentration camp onto salvaged scraps of paper, has died in Paris. He was 81.